Rhinestoneguy.com, Inc.

 !Please Read !


This is very long...directed to those producing clothing for resale for children only ....you owe it to yourself to read it all!

This does not concern any other clients!

PLEASE READ: I am NOT saying you cannot do as you want with personal clothing. Your kids do not eat their clothing. Costumes are worn for a few minutes, then removed. Tee shirts are really not hazardous unless you eat them, and even then, you must be relatively young for anything that MIGHT happen (some of us are far more sensitive to elements and compounds than others) to happen. Lead Crystal jewelry does not damage adults, probably causes no damage to older kids. Lead Oxide, used in producing Lead Crystal, is actually encapsulated in silica (melted sand) and relatively safe unless subjected to highly acidic conditions for extended times.  BUT to Infants and young'ins....please take no chances...it is not your body, not your children's children's bodies to make decisions for. Play it safe!  Again, these rules apply ONLY to garment manufacturers who RESELL clothing, not personal use items that you make for your kids to wear! Do not become worried that you cannot do as you wish for your own children!   IF you do not produce clothing for resale to the children's market (12 and under) ...stop here, return to your normal programming!

 

Rhinestones containing measurable amounts of lead are prohibited from use on children's clothing and accessories in the state of California!

Children are defined as those who are 12 years or younger!

Lead Crystal
noun
Definition:
glass for making tableware: glass containing a high proportion of lead, used to make decorative items, especially tableware.

Although our company policy is to avoid importing products containing lead or other potentially harmful substances, some of our products, including, but not limited to, Austrian and Czech Machine Cut Lead Crystal Beads and Drops and Austrian and Czech Machine Cut Lead Crystal Rhinestones both flat back and point back and any Czech glass beads or stones made of glass color #’s 71000, 71010, and 80100 contain lead. All products containing Austrian and Czech Machine Cut Lead Crystal Rhinestones including but not limited to rhinestone balls, rhinestone rondelles, rhinestone buckles, rhinestone jewelry, rhinestone ornaments etc…contain lead. Czech Glass quality One Cut and Two Cut rhinestones in Crystal, Light Colorado Topaz, Rosa, Light Rosa, and Jonquil contain lead. Asian rhinestones both point back and flat back contain lead. All stripe rocaille with the exception of red and/or black stripes contain lead. All hand made ‘lamp work’ glass beads contain lead.

 

Customers who re-package our products for sale in states where public warnings are required should familiarize themselves with the particular warning requirements of those states to ensure that they are not in violation of local statutes, and especially to ensure that their product packaging meets all disclosure requirements. In certain states, this fact must be disclosed on the product label in accordance with the statutory requirements of the individual state. Lead is a chemical known to the State of California and other governmental agencies to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

We are importing Lead-Free (Low-Lead) rhinestones,  in Heat Fix only. You can glue Heat Fix rhinestones to fabric and other things ...  We will test these items in our facility before incorporating or mailing to anyone without adequate warning.   Truly Lead-Free Rhinestones do not exist, but the amount of lead in these items will be well below required levels if we label them as such.  

Furthermore, we have often been asked to supply Swarovski Rhinestones to cover baby pacifier handles. We decline any and all sales for this intent! I made myself very clear on this subject over 7 years ago, well before any laws were put into place as to lead-free rhinestones. 

Although it is impossible to control use of our products once they have left our facility, please be responsible in the use of rhinestones. I doubt that anyone is going to die if they play with rhinestones, but there are precautions that should be taken...do not place rhinestones in your mouth, do NOT lick your fingers and touch rhinestones to place on glue. Ok...I will just go ahead and say it....Don't eat rhinestones, no matter how hungry you are!
 

Now, HERE ARE THE LAWS AS I UNDERSTAND THEM (anyone who can wade through the gobblygoop legalese, better than I can, is free to call me at once!  THIS applies ONLY to clothing for resale, not for personal use, made for personal use, used for personal use, used as costumes for personal use, ...ONLY MADE FOR RESALE !  (Yes, you can continue to decorate your kid's skate costumes however you want...just don't go into the business of selling them if they do not comply with the law! ...this goes for Tee shirts, what have you!

State of California:    States that all children's wear producers (Children = 12 years and younger)

 

 

IF I were in the business of producing Infant wear, I would make damned sure (I do have a way with words, don't I) that my rhinestones used were at 300 ppm (Parts Per Million) or less of lead, no matter how many I used!   Truthfully, that rules out almost all rhinestone used today...but don't go ballistic on me here!   Rhinestone Guy is in the process of importing  rhinestones at this time, that will meet or exceed that criterion.   All "lead-free" rhinestones will be suitable for heat setting and used in transfers. I DID NOT SAY THEY WOULD BE CHEAP.....I said they will be LEAD - FREE (to meet laws).  We absolutely cannot match Korean prices with Lead-Free rhinestones in transfers...and don't you believe that Asian Rhinestones are lead-free, no matter who tells you that. We have personally tested 4 lots of these things, and each and every lot had significantly more lead than we were told!   We will NOT sell Asian Rhinestones for Infant Wear Transfers...for we cannot be a party to your breaking the law...break it and you will be caught! California means business on this one (I have no idea where they are going to get the money for this program, but it is already in play, several stores were "invaded" by the lead testers recently, and most items offered for sale, failed  testing!  ....... )  When we sell "Low-Lead" or "Lead-Free" rhinestones, the lead content is less than 65 ppm, low enough to pass any testing. At this time, we have them in Crystal color only, but colors will be released soon. 

Please note...we will NOT be dealing with silly numbers of weight with rhinestones being applied to Infant or Children's clothing with Rhinestone Guy...it will be Parts Per Million (PPM)...that is the only real measurement. IF you use our rhinestones rated as PPM, you have no fear of exceeding any level, for ppm is a real measurement, not mythical. The number of rhinestones you want to apply will have NO limitations when you deal with our methods of measurement. IF you insist on dealing with total weight of rhinestones, percentage of lead IN those rhinestones, you are going to get burned badly! Trust me on this one!

IF you are producing clothing for Infants and Children for out of state...be very careful, for if you think California laws are confusing, try wading through Washington's, Vermont's, and several other states...play it safe, we will guide you through this mess to the best of our ability, BUT we take NO responsibility for what you sell...only what we sell, and that will be labeled, ppm for the rhinestones only. It is your responsibility to ensure that plastics, metals, etc., on the clothing meet or exceed all state requirements....be very careful here! You cannot import from Asia and expect anything but bad, bad surprises! Suddenly, lead-free zippers will be made of lead! I trust nothing made in China, nothing made in Korea...I have been lied to for the last time....call me blatant racist if you wish, I have been burned and I am passing it along!

FEDERAL LAWS:  IF you think California is strict, wait until you see what the Federal Government wants to put into place come August, 2009!

Lead: 300 ppm, to be reduced to 200 ppm 2010, to be reduced to 100 ppm  (.1% lead)  2011!   (Our Low-Lead rhinestones surpass this criteria NOW! 

AND, in the State of California, as well as Federal and many other states, we have other things to worry about in Children's clothing:  CADMIUM...even more dangerous than lead!   Federal Laws are aiming at .01%  (10ppm) by 2011.  Chromium: 100 ppm, and....ok, here comes the killer!  Plastics....PBB (polybrominated Biphenyl ) 100 ppm, and PBDE (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether  100ppm! ! !

I know this all sounds like a maze to wade through...and it is. But we will help where we can.

IF you sell clothing to Europe, you must abide by the standards set forth in RoHS (Restrictions of Hazardous Use ) in all Euro Nations! (Here, even the UK agrees and abides by these rules! OMG! the UK actually agrees with something Euro! )

IF you cannot read between the lines, I will lay it ON the line. Any clothing you purchase in Asia is suspect! There is a reason US companies charge what they charge for clothing, and abiding by restrictions is one of them.  We don't knowingly sell toys with lead paint (well, I don't at any rate) we don't knowingly sell food containing melamine, (well, I don't at any rate,) and as a result, we must use quality products that cost more than junk (not a type of boat!). You get my drift? 

 

WE maintain testing facilities on site using state of the art XRF screening systems. The test equipment is designed to certify items for RoHS requirements, and therefore will give accurate results for Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Mercury. WE are NOT an accredited Laboratory in the state of California, for California requires Destructive Testing procedures at this time (expensive.)

For a modest charge, we can tell you if your products will pass this testing. For further information, call Phillip Brandt at 714.435.9925

 

So, in fairness to me and my company, I do not want to hear that you can get your transfers cheaper in Korea or China for those clothes you are producing for resale to kid's markets! You are going to get what you pay for, simple as that. I am not going to argue with you about prices. It is always your choice to apply lead-containing rhinestones, in violation of laws, for resale. That is between you and whoever. I know what China and Korea are producing...and so do you, regardless of what they are telling you! You have read the above, and it is up to you to believe me or disregard the information. BUT I must warn you that lead-free rhinestones are considerably more expensive than those Chinese and Koreans will use. WHEN you ask for a quote, if the transfer is for adult wear, TELL US ! We are free to produce transfers in any quality for Adults and teens...but we will restrict our transfer to be used in Children's wear to abide by the laws.  We cannot be a party to your being sued by the state of California or the Federal Government, for sure enough, someone, somewhere, sometime, someway will turn around and say, "Well, The Rhinestone Guy said we could use them, so it's not our fault!"   Sorry, guys...not going to play that game.  Love you all, but....even I must observe some limits, and kid's health is one of them!   AND, there are easy methods out there for this testing!  Clothing can be tested as it hangs on the rack! KNOW this and ABIDE by the rules, you will be much better off. AND, if you try to sell clothing to most retail establishments, they will  want to see certification of LEAD to meet standards set forth by law !!!!!        PUBLISHED  January 14, 2009  Edit: November 2009

Please be aware that California and Federal laws say that only Destructive Testing (Wet Testing) is certifiable at this time....these rules will change soon enough, but ...there is no reason for us to do wet testing. We have already gone father than any other rhinestone company in testing our own products (at great expense for equipment)...to pass California Laws, and Federal Laws, at this time, you must submit the entire article you are selling to an accredited laboratory for Destructive Testing before certification can be given...I have no idea what that will cost you, I have no idea how long you will have to wait for a certificate. What we can do is, for a small price, examine your article, as long as their is NO PAINT on it for XRF analysis...we can tell you, if in our findings, you have a very good chance of passing DD testing.

The Laws in California AND the US, as written, are preposterous! XRF analysis is more than accurate in testing for heavy metals and Bromine. As written, they require all makers of children's clothing to submit wear for wet testing (extremely expensive). This will, in effect, kill the cottage industry and smaller children's wear companies, for I seriously doubt that any can afford the cost of Wet Testing, and Wet Testing is NOT necessary. XRF analysis passes all laws for RoHS standards, is as accurate as wet testing as long as there is no paint involved...and paint is not a part of Children's clothing. I seriously advise all who read this to write your state and Federal Representatives and Senators immediately to change this law to be responsible, but not ridiculous!  IF their intention is to put many (most) of you out of business, they have done a fine job of it!

Phillip M. Brandt, Owner, Rhinestoneguy.com, Inc.